Joanna Leidenhag
Biographic Data
| ID | 460524 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Joanna Leidenhag |
| GIVEN NAMES | Joanna |
| FAMILY NAME | Leidenhag |
| SIGNATURE | LEIDENHAG J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Leeds |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1164-7032 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 22 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 25 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
‘For the creation waits with eager longing …’
This paper was originally delivered as the fourth D. W. D. Shaw memorial Lecture at the University of Glasgow on 12th May 2025. In honour of Professor Shaw’s combined vocation as a churchman and an academic, this paper opens with a short homiletic reflection on Romans 8:17–25, wherein Saint Paul seeks to comfort the persecuted church in Rome by placing their suffering in solidarity, not only with Christ’s and his own experience, but also with the…
Theology, Science and Life by CarmodyGrey (London
Analytic theology and science-engaged theology
This article contributes to ongoing discussions on the place of theology in secular research universities by examining the relationship between analytic theology and science-engaged theology. Writing in response to William Wood's Analytic Theology and the Academic Study of Religion , I consider if and how one might demarcate these two recent movements in academic theology given that both sociological and substantive definitions result in signific…
The Origin of the Soul
“Philosophies of Liturgy
Review of J. Aaron Simmons, Bruce Ellis Benson and Neal DeRoo, eds., Philosophies of Liturgy: Explorations of Embodied Religious Practice (London: Bloomsbury, 2023), pp. xvi + 309, ISBN 978-1350349308. £39.99
Minding Creation
In this article, I reply to four responses published in this journal to my book Minding Creation: Theological Panpsychism and the Doctrine of Creation . Two of these responses, by Christa L. McKirland and Eugene Fuimaono, and by Tim Miller and Thomas Jay Oord, are largely appreciative and propose future engagement with theological anthropology, indigenous perspectives, process metaphysics, and the doctrine of the incarnation. The other two respon…
Minding Creation
The doctrine of creation is a teaching shared across many faith traditions that requires urgent interdisciplinary attention today. Joanna Leidenhag's book Minding Creation considers how the philosophy of panpsychism might be beneficial to the Christian articulation of creation. This article is an overview of the book, in order to contextualize the four responses and author's reply that follows
From science-and-religion to science-engaged theology
Science-engaged theology has become all the rage lately. But what is 'science-engaged theology' and how does it relate to the pre-existing field of science-and-religion? This article argues that the field of science-and-religion and science-engaged theology seek to answer quite different questions. Science-and-religion asks about the relationship between separate disciplines or beliefs. Science-engaged theology asks how scientific research can be…
Issues in Science and Theology: Global Sustainability
Neurodiversity and Thriving
The concept of ‘neurodiversity’ to speak of conditions such as autism, dyslexia, and others as differences, not disorders or pathologies, relies on a robust account of human flourishing that can incorporate these conditions. Conceptions of illness and well-being are always partially theological, whilst also having to be grounded in the empirical realities of the present time. Therefore, positive developmental psychology is a particularly apt fiel…
Science-Engaged Theology
This Element presents science-engaged theology as a reminder to theologians to use the local tools and products of the sciences as sources for theological reflection. Using critiques of modernity and secularism, the Element questions the idea that Science and Religion were ever transhistorical categories. The Element also encourages theologians to collaborate with colleagues in other disciplines in a highly localised manner that enables theologia…
Autism, Doxology, and the Nature of Christian Worship
Brian Brock’s Wondrously Wounded teaches us to approach “disability” through the lens of doxology. The first section of this response argues that Brock’s doxological approach combines and expands (rather than rejects) the previously dominant inclusivity and prophetic approaches. I then move on to consider the leitmotif of praise and worship for disability theology. The remainder of this paper puts the doxological approach to constructive use by c…
Autism and the Church
"Autism and the Church: Bible, Theology, and Community." Journal of Disability & Religion, 26(3), pp. 342–343
Holding church, academy and society together
The editorial board of Theology in Scotland wishes to mark an exceptional contribution of one of the founders of the journal, Rev Prof David Fergusson. After many years of ministry and work in Scotland, Prof Fergusson recently took up the post of Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, which also brought about his retirement from the editorial board. In this interview with Dr Joanna Leidenhag he shares a little of his own the…
Panpsychism and God
Panpsychism is the view, found in ancient and modern, Eastern and Western philosophies, that mind is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the universe. This article explores the use of panpsychism to support different views of God. It is seen that as a family of views, panpsychism is a theologically flexible position that has been used to support atheism, pantheism, panentheism, and traditional monotheism. However, the relationship between pan…
Accountability, Autism and Friendship with God
David Shoemaker has argued that autistic persons cannot be held accountable and are not members of the moral community. Arguing against this conclusion, this article both corrects the view of autism contained in Shoemaker’s paper and resituates his theory of accountability within a Christian virtue ethic based on the gift of friendship. The call to be accountable to God for one’s life contains within it the gift of God’s friendship and does not r…
What is Science-Engaged Theology
Is there a journal less likely than Modern Theology to devote a special issue to the natural sciences? When we were in grad school, we would have said, "No and I hope they never descend to that. You see, Modern Theology does real theology." Real theology, we thought, should always be queen of the sciences. We had picked up the fads of our generation, and one such fad was the idea that whenever scientists were invited to the theological table, the…
How To Be a Theological Panpsychist, but Not a Process Theologian
How To Be a Theological Panpsychist, but Not a Process Theologian
Panentheism and Panpsychism
Panpsychism has become a highly attractive position in the philosophy of mind. On panpsychism, both the physical and the mental are inseparable and fundamental features of reality. Panentheism has also become immensely popular in the philo-sophy of religion. Panentheism strives for a higher reconciliation of an atheistic pantheism, on which the universe itself is causa sui, and the ontological dualism of necessarily existing, eternal creator and …
The Revival of Panpsychism and its Relevance for the Science-Religion Dialogue
Panpsychism, whereby mentality is considered fundamental within the natural world, does not appear prima facie to be a friend to with either natural science or Christian theology. This article challenges this first impression. Within the science and theology dialogue, panpsychism has been a central component of Process theologians' efforts to integrate these disciplines into a larger metaphysical framework; but, this is not the method adopted in …
Science and Spirit
This paper is a critical examination of Amos Yong’s pneumatological use of emergence theory. In seeking to bridge the divide between the worldviews of science and Pentecostalism, Yong sees emergence theory as a fruitful mediating discourse. We will argue for the following: 1) the supernaturalism of Yong’s Pentecostal theology renders the concept of emergence obsolete; 2) the ontological independence of various types of spirits in Yong’s theology …
The Dialogical Spirit
What is Science-Engaged Theology
Is there a journal less likely than Modern Theology to devote a special issue to the natural sciences? When we were in grad school, we would have said, "No and I hope they never descend to that. You see, Modern Theology does real theology." Real theology, we thought, should always be queen of the sciences. We had picked up the fads of our generation, and one such fad was the idea that whenever scientists were invited to the theological table, the…
Science-Engaged Theology
This Element presents science-engaged theology as a reminder to theologians to use the local tools and products of the sciences as sources for theological reflection. Using critiques of modernity and secularism, the Element questions the idea that Science and Religion were ever transhistorical categories. The Element also encourages theologians to collaborate with colleagues in other disciplines in a highly localised manner that enables theologia…
Panentheism and Panpsychism
Panpsychism has become a highly attractive position in the philosophy of mind. On panpsychism, both the physical and the mental are inseparable and fundamental features of reality. Panentheism has also become immensely popular in the philo-sophy of religion. Panentheism strives for a higher reconciliation of an atheistic pantheism, on which the universe itself is causa sui, and the ontological dualism of necessarily existing, eternal creator and …
The Revival of Panpsychism and its Relevance for the Science-Religion Dialogue
Panpsychism, whereby mentality is considered fundamental within the natural world, does not appear prima facie to be a friend to with either natural science or Christian theology. This article challenges this first impression. Within the science and theology dialogue, panpsychism has been a central component of Process theologians' efforts to integrate these disciplines into a larger metaphysical framework; but, this is not the method adopted in …
Analytic theology and science-engaged theology
This article contributes to ongoing discussions on the place of theology in secular research universities by examining the relationship between analytic theology and science-engaged theology. Writing in response to William Wood's Analytic Theology and the Academic Study of Religion , I consider if and how one might demarcate these two recent movements in academic theology given that both sociological and substantive definitions result in signific…
Panpsychism and God
Panpsychism is the view, found in ancient and modern, Eastern and Western philosophies, that mind is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the universe. This article explores the use of panpsychism to support different views of God. It is seen that as a family of views, panpsychism is a theologically flexible position that has been used to support atheism, pantheism, panentheism, and traditional monotheism. However, the relationship between pan…
Science and Spirit
This paper is a critical examination of Amos Yong’s pneumatological use of emergence theory. In seeking to bridge the divide between the worldviews of science and Pentecostalism, Yong sees emergence theory as a fruitful mediating discourse. We will argue for the following: 1) the supernaturalism of Yong’s Pentecostal theology renders the concept of emergence obsolete; 2) the ontological independence of various types of spirits in Yong’s theology …
The Dialogical Spirit
The Revival of Panpsychism and its Relevance for the Science-Religion Dialogue
Panpsychism, whereby mentality is considered fundamental within the natural world, does not appear prima facie to be a friend to with either natural science or Christian theology. This article challenges this first impression. Within the science and theology dialogue, panpsychism has been a central component of Process theologians' efforts to integrate these disciplines into a larger metaphysical framework; but, this is not the method adopted in …
Panentheism and Panpsychism
Panpsychism has become a highly attractive position in the philosophy of mind. On panpsychism, both the physical and the mental are inseparable and fundamental features of reality. Panentheism has also become immensely popular in the philo-sophy of religion. Panentheism strives for a higher reconciliation of an atheistic pantheism, on which the universe itself is causa sui, and the ontological dualism of necessarily existing, eternal creator and …
How To Be a Theological Panpsychist, but Not a Process Theologian
How To Be a Theological Panpsychist, but Not a Process Theologian
Accountability, Autism and Friendship with God
David Shoemaker has argued that autistic persons cannot be held accountable and are not members of the moral community. Arguing against this conclusion, this article both corrects the view of autism contained in Shoemaker’s paper and resituates his theory of accountability within a Christian virtue ethic based on the gift of friendship. The call to be accountable to God for one’s life contains within it the gift of God’s friendship and does not r…
What is Science-Engaged Theology
Is there a journal less likely than Modern Theology to devote a special issue to the natural sciences? When we were in grad school, we would have said, "No and I hope they never descend to that. You see, Modern Theology does real theology." Real theology, we thought, should always be queen of the sciences. We had picked up the fads of our generation, and one such fad was the idea that whenever scientists were invited to the theological table, the…
Autism, Doxology, and the Nature of Christian Worship
Brian Brock’s Wondrously Wounded teaches us to approach “disability” through the lens of doxology. The first section of this response argues that Brock’s doxological approach combines and expands (rather than rejects) the previously dominant inclusivity and prophetic approaches. I then move on to consider the leitmotif of praise and worship for disability theology. The remainder of this paper puts the doxological approach to constructive use by c…
Autism and the Church
"Autism and the Church: Bible, Theology, and Community." Journal of Disability & Religion, 26(3), pp. 342–343
Holding church, academy and society together
The editorial board of Theology in Scotland wishes to mark an exceptional contribution of one of the founders of the journal, Rev Prof David Fergusson. After many years of ministry and work in Scotland, Prof Fergusson recently took up the post of Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, which also brought about his retirement from the editorial board. In this interview with Dr Joanna Leidenhag he shares a little of his own the…
Panpsychism and God
Panpsychism is the view, found in ancient and modern, Eastern and Western philosophies, that mind is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the universe. This article explores the use of panpsychism to support different views of God. It is seen that as a family of views, panpsychism is a theologically flexible position that has been used to support atheism, pantheism, panentheism, and traditional monotheism. However, the relationship between pan…
Issues in Science and Theology: Global Sustainability
Neurodiversity and Thriving
The concept of ‘neurodiversity’ to speak of conditions such as autism, dyslexia, and others as differences, not disorders or pathologies, relies on a robust account of human flourishing that can incorporate these conditions. Conceptions of illness and well-being are always partially theological, whilst also having to be grounded in the empirical realities of the present time. Therefore, positive developmental psychology is a particularly apt fiel…
Science-Engaged Theology
This Element presents science-engaged theology as a reminder to theologians to use the local tools and products of the sciences as sources for theological reflection. Using critiques of modernity and secularism, the Element questions the idea that Science and Religion were ever transhistorical categories. The Element also encourages theologians to collaborate with colleagues in other disciplines in a highly localised manner that enables theologia…
The Origin of the Soul
“Philosophies of Liturgy
Review of J. Aaron Simmons, Bruce Ellis Benson and Neal DeRoo, eds., Philosophies of Liturgy: Explorations of Embodied Religious Practice (London: Bloomsbury, 2023), pp. xvi + 309, ISBN 978-1350349308. £39.99
Minding Creation
In this article, I reply to four responses published in this journal to my book Minding Creation: Theological Panpsychism and the Doctrine of Creation . Two of these responses, by Christa L. McKirland and Eugene Fuimaono, and by Tim Miller and Thomas Jay Oord, are largely appreciative and propose future engagement with theological anthropology, indigenous perspectives, process metaphysics, and the doctrine of the incarnation. The other two respon…
Minding Creation
The doctrine of creation is a teaching shared across many faith traditions that requires urgent interdisciplinary attention today. Joanna Leidenhag's book Minding Creation considers how the philosophy of panpsychism might be beneficial to the Christian articulation of creation. This article is an overview of the book, in order to contextualize the four responses and author's reply that follows
From science-and-religion to science-engaged theology
Science-engaged theology has become all the rage lately. But what is 'science-engaged theology' and how does it relate to the pre-existing field of science-and-religion? This article argues that the field of science-and-religion and science-engaged theology seek to answer quite different questions. Science-and-religion asks about the relationship between separate disciplines or beliefs. Science-engaged theology asks how scientific research can be…
‘For the creation waits with eager longing …’
This paper was originally delivered as the fourth D. W. D. Shaw memorial Lecture at the University of Glasgow on 12th May 2025. In honour of Professor Shaw’s combined vocation as a churchman and an academic, this paper opens with a short homiletic reflection on Romans 8:17–25, wherein Saint Paul seeks to comfort the persecuted church in Rome by placing their suffering in solidarity, not only with Christ’s and his own experience, but also with the…
Theology, Science and Life by CarmodyGrey (London
Analytic theology and science-engaged theology
This article contributes to ongoing discussions on the place of theology in secular research universities by examining the relationship between analytic theology and science-engaged theology. Writing in response to William Wood's Analytic Theology and the Academic Study of Religion , I consider if and how one might demarcate these two recent movements in academic theology given that both sociological and substantive definitions result in signific…
Philosophy (18 works) · Theology (16 works) · Epistemology (13 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Theology and Philosophy of Evil (8 works) · Religion, Ecology, and Ethics (6 works) · Biblical Studies and Interpretation (5 works) · Evolution and Science Education (5 works) · Christian Theology and Mission (4 works) · Developmental psychology (4 works)